Chapter 21: Why Is the Script Not Being Followed? Is This Really Liu Bei?

"What did you say? Liu Bei has captured Xiangyang?"

Cao Cao snatched the silk scroll from the scout’s hand, unfolding it with impatient haste to read the contents.

Liu Bei had launched a night raid on the Fancheng naval camp, seized ships to cross the river, and launched a surprise attack on Xiangyang. An internal collaborator, Wei Yan, had slain Cai He and seized the city gates, allowing Liu Bei’s main force to enter. Kuai Yue and Cai Mao had then taken Liu Cong and fled the city to the south...

The details of the dramatic upheaval in Xiangyang were laid out clearly in black and white.

"This Liu Bei, to be so decisive—is this truly the Liu Bei that I have known?"

Cao Cao exclaimed in disbelief, displaying the scroll to his assembled strategists.

At this moment, Cheng Yu, Liu Ye, and the other advisors were equally shocked, crowding around to examine the scroll. A clamor of discussion erupted instantly.

"Though Liu Bei possesses the spirit of an ambitious warlord, he has always been overly sentimental and hesitant in the face of crisis."

"To think that he now fears not the public condemnation of seizing his own nephew’s inheritance, and has instead carried out such a swift, decisive surprise attack on Xiangyang—it is truly unexpected."

"Furthermore, the strategy of internal and external coordination to take the city is remarkably brilliant; it must be the handiwork of a master strategist."

Cheng Yu clicked his tongue in wonder.

"A master strategist?"

Cao Cao glanced at the advisor in green robes standing in the corner, a hint of skepticism playing on his lips. "Yuanzhi has already submitted to me; Liu Bei’s underlings are merely the likes of Sun Qian, Jian Yong, and Mi Zhu."

"While these men might barely qualify as capable, are they really worthy of being called master strategists?"

Cheng Yu’s eyes darted about, and he suddenly ventured a guess: "Jingzhou is a land of hidden talents and crouching tigers. Could it be that Liu Bei has obtained the service of some other high-level advisor?"

A high-level advisor?

A flicker of wariness crossed Cao Cao’s eyes. He turned his head and asked Xu Shu, "Yuanzhi, you resided in Jingzhou for a long time. Apart from yourself, do you know of any master strategist who could have enabled Liu Bei to capture Xiangyang overnight?"

In the corner, the advisor who had been silent and uninvolved in the discussion had no choice but to step forward, looking slightly reluctant in the face of Cao Cao’s direct inquiry.

"If my deduction is correct, Lord Xuande must have invited Zhuge Kongming to emerge from seclusion and assist him."

"This man is known as the 'Crouching Dragon.' He possesses talent that could span the heavens and reshape the earth; his intellect is ten times my own."

"This feat of capturing Xiangyang must have been his design."

Xu Shu spoke of Zhuge Liang with the highest praise, his eyes even brimming with a touch of excitement, as if he were secretly pleased that Liu Bei had taken the city.

"Zhuge Kongming?"

Cao Cao had a vague impression of the name in his mind. He turned back to Cheng Yu. "Zhongde, is this Zhuge Kongming the man you mentioned to me previously?"

Cheng Yu nodded slightly and said, "It is indeed this Zhuge Liang. He is originally a native of Xuzhou. After the Prime Minister’s second campaign against Xuzhou, this man followed his uncle, Zhuge Xuan, to Jingzhou to take refuge."

"After Zhuge Xuan died, he lived in seclusion in Longzhong, farming and studying, and became a disciple of Sima Hui, earning the title of 'Crouching Dragon'."

"Just as Xu Yuanzhi said, our spies have also reported that Liu Bei has taken on a new military advisor, and it is likely this Zhuge Liang."

Cheng Yu provided the few details he possessed.

"So he is a native of Xuzhou..."

Cao Cao’s brows furrowed slightly, a trace of disgust crossing his eyes. He knew well the deeds he had committed in Xuzhou back then. Zhuge Liang had likely been forced to flee his home and seek refuge in Jingzhou because his hometown had been slaughtered. That such a man would defect to his mortal enemy, Liu Bei, was hardly surprising.

"He is nothing more than a rustic village bumpkin."

Cao Cao let out a cold snort and turned a questioning gaze back to Xu Shu. "Yuanzhi, is this 'Village Bumpkin' Zhuge truly as brilliant as you claim? You wouldn't be exaggerating, would you?"

Seeing Cao Cao underestimate Zhuge Liang, a playful smile flickered at the corner of Xu Shu’s mouth. The smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and he said indifferently, "These are merely my own views. Whether the Prime Minister chooses to believe them or not is entirely up to you."

"However..." Xu Shu hesitated, leaving his words hanging.

"However what?" Cao Cao sensed there was more.

Xu Shu hesitated for a moment before saying, "However, as far as I know, the strategy of internal and external coordination to seize Xiangyang was likely the work of this Kongming."

"But based on my understanding of Lord Xuande, he values his kinship with Liu Biao too highly. He would rather head south to seize Jiangling or go to Jiangxia to join Liu Qi than launch an attack on Xiangyang."

"Even Kongming might not have been able to persuade Lord Xuande to do so."

"What puzzles me is who could have used what words to persuade Lord Xuande to defy common sense and attack Xiangyang?"

Xu Shu’s mention of this only deepened the clouds of doubt in Cao Cao’s eyes. He understood his old rival Liu Bei far too well. Ever since Liu Bei took in Lu Bu in Xuzhou, he knew that while the man was a hero, he could never achieve great things. His heart was too soft, he lacked ruthlessness, and he was burdened by benevolence and righteousness. He might have been a benevolent ruler in a time of peace, but this was, after all, an era of chaos.

Because of this, Cao Cao believed he had seen through Liu Bei before heading south and had already written his script for him: either retreat east to Jiangxia to join Liu Qi, or cross past Xiangyang to the south to seize Jiangling. In his script, there was never any consideration that Liu Bei would seize Xiangyang from Liu Cong. Yet, Liu Bei refused to play by the script and had actually turned against his own nephew to take the city.

"Liu Bei, oh Liu Bei, what person or what event has caused you to go against your nature and become so swift and decisive..." Cao Cao muttered to himself, twisting his thin beard.

The strategists continued to speculate.

"Prime Minister, why bother with whether it is some 'Village Bumpkin' Zhuge or someone else plotting for that Big-Eared Thief?"

"Even if Liu Bei has stolen Xiangyang, he has gained only ten or twenty thousand troops. Compared to our force of one hundred and fifty thousand, it is still like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!"

"I believe the Prime Minister should continue to lead the army south. With overwhelming momentum, we shall first break Fancheng, then take Xiangyang, and annihilate the Big-Eared Thief between the two cities!"

An arrogant and domineering voice cut through the discussion. The speaker was none other than Cao Cao’s foremost general, Cao Ren.

Cao Cao’s eyes narrowed, the clouds of doubt instantly transforming into a predatory, killing intent.

"Zixiao speaks the truth. I have an army of hundreds of thousands; what does it matter if Liu Bei has taken Xiangyang!"

Cao Cao’s ambition surged, and he gestured toward the south. "Pass the order: the army shall continue south, flatten Fancheng and Xiangyang, and capture Liu Bei alive!"

The morale of the Cao camp was restored. One hundred and fifty thousand infantry and cavalry marched south from Xinye in a grand, imposing column, heading straight for Fancheng.

Two days later, the main force of the Cao army arrived one after another at the gates of Fancheng.

At this time, Huo Jun had already led five thousand elite troops into Fancheng, with bows and crossbows prepared, standing in strict formation. On the Han River, Guan Yu commanded five thousand naval troops, with a hundred warships patrolling the surface. Liu Bei personally led ten thousand elite troops, holding the command in Xiangyang. The Liu army had already positioned itself for battle.

Because Fancheng was surrounded by water on three sides and only open to the north, Cao Cao’s one hundred and fifty thousand men easily established their camp north of the city. Upon learning that the defending general was named Huo Jun and that he had only a measly five thousand troops, Cao Cao felt instant contempt and ordered an immediate assault on the city.

The one hundred and fifty thousand Cao troops began a series of unprecedentedly fierce attacks on Fancheng, alternating shifts day and night. After ten days of continuous assault, the Cao army had exhausted every tactic and suffered nearly three thousand casualties. Yet, Fancheng remained as solid as a bronze wall, standing unyielding. Not a single Cao soldier had even managed to scale the walls.

...

That evening, under the bloody glow of the setting sun, the Cao army retreated once again after leaving behind eight hundred corpses.

"A mere Huo Jun, with only five thousand troops, has held off my army of one hundred and fifty thousand for ten days of fierce attacks!"

"Liu Bei, from where on earth did you dig up such a genius of city defense?"

Gazing at the banner bearing the character "Huo" atop the city wall, Cao Cao gritted his teeth, his annoyed expression mixed with deep bewilderment.

Behind him, Cheng Yu pondered for a long time before bowing. "That Liu Bei has obtained a defensive genius like Huo Jun is indeed beyond our expectations."

"Prime Minister, continuing to attack with such brute force is not a wise move. We must employ other methods."

Cao Cao glanced at Cheng Yu, waving his riding crop to signal him to continue.

Cheng Yu took a light breath and gestured toward the south. "I believe the Prime Minister should first send an order to Liu Cong, commanding him to lead his troops north from Jiangling to coordinate with our army in a pincer attack on Xiangyang and Fancheng from the south."

"On the other hand, the Prime Minister should dispatch an envoy with the imperial seal to Jiangdong, ordering Sun Quan to lead the Jiangdong forces to attack Jiangxia and eliminate Liu Qi, thereby cutting off one of Liu Bei’s arms."

"With these two measures working in tandem, a pincer attack from three sides is the only way to surround and annihilate Liu Bei at Xiangyang and Fancheng!"